Toughest test for Warriors? Draymond Green says it’s still the Spurs

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Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green speaks during a press conference after practice at their facility in downtown Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 25, 2017. The Warriors play their first preseason game against the Denver Nuggets at Oracle Arena on Saturday. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry practices at their facility in downtown Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 25, 2017. The Warriors play their first preseason game against the Denver Nuggets at Oracle Arena on Saturday. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors' Zaza Pachulia talks with a coach at their facility in downtown Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 25, 2017. The Warriors play their first preseason game against the Denver Nuggets at Oracle Arena on Saturday. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors' Kevin Durant practices at their facility in downtown Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 25, 2017. The Warriors play their first preseason game against the Denver Nuggets at Oracle Arena on Saturday. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors' Omri Casspi practices at their facility in downtown Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 25, 2017. The Warriors play their first preseason game against the Denver Nuggets at Oracle Arena on Saturday. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors' Golden State Warriors' Zaza Pachulia practices at their facility in downtown Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 25, 2017. The Warriors play their first preseason game against the Denver Nuggets at Oracle Arena on Saturday. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry practices at their facility in downtown Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 25, 2017. The Warriors play their first preseason game against the Denver Nuggets at Oracle Arena on Saturday. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry practices at their facility in downtown Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 25, 2017. The Warriors play their first preseason game against the Denver Nuggets at Oracle Arena on Saturday. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors' JaVale McGee practices at their facility in downtown Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 25, 2017. The Warriors play their first preseason game against the Denver Nuggets at Oracle Arena on Saturday. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors' Klay Thompson speaks during a press conference after practice at their facility in downtown Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 25, 2017. The Warriors play their first preseason game against the Denver Nuggets at Oracle Arena on Saturday. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors' General Manager Bob Myers, left, talks with head coach Steve Kerr during practice at their facility in downtown Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 25, 2017. The Warriors play their first preseason game against the Denver Nuggets at Oracle Arena on Saturday. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green practices at their facility in downtown Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 25, 2017. The Warriors play their first preseason game against the Denver Nuggets at Oracle Arena on Saturday. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors' Patrick McCaw and Kevon Looney practice at their facility in downtown Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 25, 2017. The Warriors play their first preseason game against the Denver Nuggets at Oracle Arena on Saturday. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors' Omri Casspi practices at their facility in downtown Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 25, 2017. The Warriors play their first preseason game against the Denver Nuggets at Oracle Arena on Saturday. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors' head coach Steve Kerr speaks during a press conference after practice at their facility in downtown Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 25, 2017. The Warriors play their first preseason game against the Denver Nuggets at Oracle Arena on Saturday. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Movement around the NBA over the offseason does not deter Draymond Green from seeing one Western Conference rival as a stiffer challenge than the rest.

The Spurs stay in that metaphoric spot for Green, as he told ESPN’s The Jump last week. Green was quick to reply San Antonio when asked by Paul Pierce — his faux-foe in trash talk last season and now an ESPN analyst — about which conference opponent is the biggest threat to the Warriors this coming season.

“For me, it’s always San Antonio,” Green said Friday. “I think Minnesota’s gonna be much improved — I think they’re gonna be a tough team to beat. I think Houston’s improved — they’re gonna be a tough team to beat. OKC improved. I just don’t think you can put anyone above San Antonio, for everything that they’ve done. They’ve never had a drop-off; they won 60-something games last year. I just always think San Antonio. Until they have that drop-off to what we all can see and say, dang that’s not the old San Antonio, I’ll always think them. You see all the moves that happen, and you forget to say, ‘Man, San Antonio.’ I will never forget that.”

Daniel Mano is a content creator for the Mercury News and East Bay Times, focusing on buzz-worthy and offbeat sports news. He is a graduate of San Jose State's journalism program with a magazine concentration.

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